Variable capacity torque transmitter

A variable capacity clutch comprising;

• a torque transmitting shaft having a plurality of substantially equally spaced teeth disposed thereon;
• a hub member having a plurality of substantially equally spaced teeth disposed thereon meshing with the teeth on said torque transmitting shaft, the teeth being spaced such that relative angular displacement is permitted within a limited extent between said torque transmitting shaft and said hub;
• an output member;
• a plurality of friction discs disposed between said hub member and said output member with alternate ones of said discs being drivingly connected with respective ones of said hub member and said output member;
• piston means slidably disposed in said hub member and cooperating therewith to form a clutch apply fluid chamber a predetermined effective area;
• a wall member positioned on said hub member and having a seal portion slidably sealingly engaging said piston, said piston and said wall member cooperating to provide an opposing fluid chamber on the opposite side of said piston means from said clutch apply fluid chamber and having a smaller effective area than said clutch apply fluid chamber;
• first and second fluid passage means formed in said torque transmitting shaft;
• and passage means in said hub being effective to connect said first fluid passage means to both fluid chambers when said torque transmitting shaft and said hub member are at one end of the permitted relative angular displacement and being effective to connect said first passage means to said clutch apply fluid chamber and to connect said second passage means to said opposing fluid chamber when said torque transmitting shaft and said hub member are at another end of the permitted relative angular displacement.